Home Runs from Tousa, Koman Power U-M Over Eagles

Tuesday, April 10

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:00 PM

Michigan

17-12

Eastern Michigan

10-21

Eastern Michigan

Michigan

4/10/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior 2B Scott Tousa (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS) and sophomore 3B Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) launched third-inning homers to lead Michigan (17-12) to 5-3 baseball win over crosstown rival Eastern Michigan Tuesday afternoon (April 10) at Ray Fisher Stadium. The win was the seventh straight for the Wolverines, the longest winning streak since 1997. U-M has won 11 of its last 15 games.

Junior LHP Kirk Taylor (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington HS) pitched the first five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and six hits as he recorded his fourth career win. Junior RHP Phil Lobert (Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven HS) worked three innings and allowed one unearned run, and sophomore RHP Brad McCloskey (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS) fanned two in the ninth and left the bases loaded to earn his first career save.

Eastern Michigan (10-21) scored twice in the top of the first and once in the seventh, but starter Derrick Peterson (0-4) took the loss despite holding Michigan to seven hits in 7.2 innings of work.

Michigan's four-run third inning started with freshman catcher Jake Fox (Greenfield, Ind./Indianapolis Cathedral HS) reaching first after he was hit by a pitch and senior/junior CF C.J. Ghannam (Farmington, Mich./Harrison HS) reaching on a bunt for a single. After a sacrifice bunt by freshman SS Brandon Jominy (Coral Springs, Fla./Westminster Academy) moved the runners to second and third, tri-captain Tousa blasted a long homer to right to give the Wolverines a 3-2 lead.

Koman followed two batters later with his team-leading sixth homer of the season and the lead was 4-2.

The Wolverines added an insurance tally in the bottom of the eight after two outs when Koman singled, moved to second on a walk to sophomore RF Gino Lollio (Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner HS) and scored as 1B Nate Wright (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew HS) dropped a single into rightfield. The hit extended Wright's hitting streak to seven games.

The extra run looked big in the top of the ninth as EMU loaded the bases on a single, a hit batter and a walk, but McCloskey battled back with a pair of strikeouts and a nifty 6-4 fielder's choice turned by seniors Bill LaRosa (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS) at SS and Tousa at 2B.

Michigan heads to Western Michigan for a non-conference game Wednesday (April 11, 3 p.m.) before traveling to Minnesota for a Big Ten weekend series (April 13-15). Senior RHP Vince Pistilli (Highland, Ind./Highland HS) is scheduled to start at WMU.

N O T E S

U-M leading hitter Gino Lollio, who was spiked in the Penn State series (March 30), returned to the lineup vs. Eastern Michigan. Lollio was 0-for-3 but drew an eighth inning walk that led to Michigan's final run. He is hitting .420, tops among the regulars.

Michigan has won seven straight games for the first time in a season since 1997.

Kirk Taylor is the 10th Wolverine pitcher to record a win in 2001.

Michigan's hitting leaders (for players with at least 40 at bats) after 29 games are: sophomore OF Gino Lollio (.420, 21-for-50); sophomore 3B Brock Koman (.389, 42-for-108); junior/sophomore 1B Nate Wright (.350, 28-for-80); sophomore LF Jordan Cantalamessa (.348, 32-for-92) and senior 2B Scott Tousa (.300, 30-for-100).

Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423